What is it about?
This study looks at a special protein called VEGF (let's call it the "vessel maker") that's found in our blood and tears. Scientists wanted to know if this protein is linked to problems on the eye's surface, like dry eyes or allergies. They looked at lots of research done on animals and humans to see what role this protein might play in these eye issues.
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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Understanding how this "vessel maker" protein works in eye problems is super important because: It could help doctors figure out what's causing certain eye issues It might lead to new ways to treat these problems If we know more about this protein, we might be able to catch eye problems earlier
Perspectives
The scientists found some interesting things: In animal studies, there was more of this protein in eyes with new blood vessels growing where they shouldn't They didn't find clear evidence that the amount of this protein in tears changes much in people with dry eyes or eye allergies But they did see that when there's more of this protein in tears, it often means there are extra blood vessels growing in the clear part of the eye (the cornea) This research suggests that medicines that block this "vessel maker" protein might help treat some eye problems. However, we need more studies to be sure. This work is like putting together pieces of a puzzle to understand eye health better, which could lead to improved treatments in the future.
Prof Louis Tong
National University of Singapore
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Systematic Review of Tear Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and External Eye Diseases, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, January 2024, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031369.
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